Steam-turbine.



No. 666,637. Patented lan. 29, |901. M. BECK.

STEAM TURBINE.

. (Application filed July 13, 1900.)' (No Model.) 14 a sheets-sheetNonms Pneus oc.. Putnam-m1, WASHINGTON. n, c,

No. 666,637. Patented lan. 29, l90l.

M. BECK.

STEAM TURBINE.

{Application filed July 13, 1900.) (Nn Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Nrrnn STATES ATENT Ormes.

MICHAEL BECK, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

STEAM-TU RBIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,637, dated January29, 1901. Application filed July 13. 1900. Serial No. 23,436. (No modelTo @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL BECK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsinSteam-Turbines; and I do hereby declare the following to'be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My present invention has for its object to provide an improved rotaryengine or motor and is in the nature of a turbine.

To the above ends the invention consists of the novel devices and.combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in theclaims.

The invention in its preferred form is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts thro ughout theseveral views.

Figure 1 is a plan view, with some parts broken away, showing myimproved turbine. Eig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line m2m2 of Fig. 1'. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View, with some parts brokenaway, showing the body of the turbine; and Fig. 4 is a detail inelevation of the pump-piston.

The stationary body or case of the turbine comprises a pair of conicalshells 1 and 2, secured together at their peripheral portion bysteam-tight joints, both of the shells being depressed or turneddownward at their apices, but with the apex of the shell 1 extended farbelow the apex of the shell 2. Secured to the top of the shell 2 is acircular shell 3, which, together with said shell 2, forms/ awatercompartment or pump-chamber A nonrotary spindle 5 is passed axiallythrough the conical chamber formed between the shells 1 and 2, with itslower end passed through and secured to the apex of said shell 1.

Mounted for vertical movements on the spindle 5 is a pump-piston 6,which is held against rotation thereon by means of a key 7 on saidpiston, which works in a long keyway or groove Brin said spindle. Acylinder 9 rotates around the piston 6, but does not reciprocatevertically therewith. Secured to and for rotation with the cylinder 91sa conical wheel or rotary member made up of a pair of conical shells 10and 11, closely connected at their peripheries, and, as shown, screwedonto the ends of the cylinder 9 at their hub portions. The shells 10 and11, respectively, of the rotary wheel are spaced inward from the shells1 and 2, lso as to leave attenuated conical passages.

The shell 1 is provided with concentric series of propelling-blades l,and the shell 10 is provided with concentric series of propelling-blades10a. The series of propellingblades la and lOa interlap alternately, andthe bladesot the said series l and lOaincline in reverse directions withrespect to radial lines from the axis of rotation of the rotary parts.Likewise the plate or shell 2 is provided with concentric series ofpropellingblades 2a, and the shell l1 is provided with concentric seriesof propelling-blades 1l, which blades 2a and l1a incline in reversedirections, and which series of blades 2a and 11a interlap alternately.Furthermore, the propelling-blades 10a and 11ad are inclined or beveledin reverse directions with respect to lines radiating from the axis ofrotation of the wheel l0 ll. The lower end of a rotary spindle 12 issecured by radial webs 13 to the upper end ofthe cylinder 9. The lowerend of said spindle-12, as shown, rotates on the upper end of thespindle 5, and itis provided with an annular outturned portion 14, be-

tween which and the inner hub portion of the y shell 2 bearing-balls l5are mounted to run. Between the ange 14 and the upper end of thecylinder 9 radial passages llopen. The spindle 12 is provided withradial blades 17, that work within the chamber 4. At its upper and outerend the spindle 12 is provided with a bevel-pinion 18, which ispreferably made hollow at 19 for a purpose which will hereinafterappeal'. Water-circulating pipes 20 2l, respectively, open to thecentral portion and open from the peripheral portion of said chamber t.In practice these pipes 2O and 2l will communicate with a receptaclecontaining a body of cooling liquid, usually water. A small passage 22opens from the peripheral portion of the conical chamber formed betweenthe shells 1 and 2, and this passage is adapted to be opened and closedby means of a small stop-cock 23.

The pump-piston 6, heretofore noted, is pro- IOO ' or pin 25, projectedthrough the cylinder 9,

works to produce the reciprocations ot' vvthe said piston when the saidcylinder is rotated by the propeller-wheel lO 1l. Several, preferablyabout six, passages 26 extend longitudinally through the piston 6. Thelower ends of these passages 26 are normally close-d by adownwardly-opening annular valve 2L which, as shownfis yieldingly heldupward by springs 28, secured thereto, extended through said passages 26and secured at their upper ends to said piston. y

The lower end of the cylinder 9 is normally closed by a valve in theform of a head 29, mounted to slide on a spindle 5 and subject to alight spring 30, which normally presses the same upward and closes thelower end of said cylinder.

31 indicates a water or' liquid supply pipe which opens through apassage 32 in the lower end of the spindle 5 to the lower centralportion of the chamber formed between the shells 1 and 2. At its outerend the pipe 31 opens into the head or casting 33, provided with afunnel 34 and with a' passage 35, leading from said funnel to said pipe3l. Astopcock 36, mounted in the head 33, serves to open and close the'passage 35.

The numeral 37 indicates a 'pressure-gage which is connected by a pipe38 with the lower portion of the passage 35, and hence also with thepipe 3l.

39 indicates a gas-supply pipe which terminates at its delivery end in aplurality of nozzles or burners 40, located just under the apex of theshell 1. A suitable stop-cock 41, mounted in a valve-seat casting 42,interposed in the gas-pipe 39, serves to open and close the said pipe. Acasting or hea 33 is provided with a hollow extension 43, interposedbetween sections of the gas-pipe 39. In a neck portion-44, whichconnects the sections 33 and 43, is a valve 45 in the form of a slidingplunger having a depending stem 46 and subject to a small spring 47,compressed between said plunger 45 and a removableplug 48 in the bottomof the section 43.

An oil-passage 49 opens axially through the spindles 12 and 5. Thisoil-passage 49 has lateral openings at various points for delivering oilto the various parts to be lubricated. Within the cavity 19 of thebevelpinion 18 is a ball 50, which in virtue of the conical form of thebottom ot' said cavity 19 normally closes the upper end of theoil-passage 49. W'hen, however, the wheel 10 11, with the parts rotatedtherewith, including the pinion 18, is given a high rotary motion, theball 50 will be thrown by centrifugal force toward the peripheralportion of the oil receptacle or cavity 19, and thus the oilpassage 49will be opened, so as to permit of the feed of the oil.

Before the turbine can be started it is necessary to introduce into thechamber formed ,Y i closed.

between the shells 1 and 2, approximately to the level indicated by thedotted-line niark y 'y on Fig. 2, some such liquid as water, which maybe readily turned into steam. Advisably a mixture or solution of water,ammonia,and carbon dioxid is used for this purpose. To introduce thisliq uid,as in dicated,the stopcock 36 is opened to permit the solutionpoured into the funnel 34 to run into the pipe 31, and

`tile stop-cock 23 is opened to permit the escape of all of the air fromthe chamber in which the turbine wheel runs. After the liquid isintroduc'ed the stop-cocks 36 and 23 are The gas is then turned on andlighted at the points of the burners 40. The intense heat from theburners 40, acting on the bottom of the shell 1, causes the very rapidgeneration of steam from the solution of water, which, for the sake ofbrevity, l may refer to simply as water. The steam thus generated willrush violently outward toward the periphery ofthe rotary turbine wheel,and in doing so will have a propelling action on the propelling-bladesl()2L of said Wheel. As the steam reaches the peripheral portion of theshell2, which shell is keptcold by the circulation of water through thechamber 4, condensation will take place, which will increase as thecondensing steam is drawn again inwardbetween the said shell 2 and thetop shell ll of the turbine wheel. As this condensingstea'm passesinward it will again have a propelling action on the blades l1a of theturbine wheel and will tend to drive the said wheel in the samedirection in which it tended to drive it underits outward movement andaction upon the blades 10a. By the time the condensing steam reaches thepassages 16 at the upper end of the cylinder 9\i-trw\ill have beenturned into water or liquid forland under the reciprocations of thepiston 6 and the action of the valve 27 it will be positively pumpedbackinto the lower end of the said cylinder, and from thence, under thedownstrokes of said piston, it will be forced back into the bottom ofthe chamber formed between the shell 1 and 2, it being understood, ofcourse, that the valve 29 will be opened under such downward movementsof the piston. Thus it will be seen that a continuous circulation of thesteam-producing medium is kept up. 'The valves 29 and 27 of course causethe circulation to be in a constant direction.

Under the rotation of the turbine wheel 10 ll the water within thechamber 4 is by the blades 17 put under the action of centrifugal force,so that the circulation of the water Will be as indicated by the arrowsmarked in connection with the pipes 2O and 2l.

The spring 47, acting on the valve 45, may be variously set by means ofthe plug 48 for any desired or predetermined pressure. When thispredetermined pressure is exceeded, the valve 45 will be forced downwardagainst said spring and will choke o the supply of gas to the`burners,and thus reduce the flames, with IOO IIO

the obvious result that the generation will be slower. Hence the valve45 acts as a governor to maintain the desired speed of the turbine.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is as follows:

l. In a rotary motor or turbine, the combination with a relatively-fixedconical shell or body having concentric series of propellingblades, of amovable conical shell or body having concentric series of propelling-blades, the series of said two members being interpositioned andcooperating as described, and means for generating the motive fluid inthe vicinity of the apex of one of said members, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a rotary engine or turbine, the combination with an outer casehaving conical upper and lower surfaces within provided with concentricseries of propelling-blades, of a turbine wheel running within said caseand provided with upper and lower concentric series of propellingbladescooperating with the propelling-blades of said case, as described, meansfor generating steam at the lower portion of said case, and a pump atthe axis of said wheel for producing a return circulation of thesteam-producing medium,substantially as described.

3. The combination with an outer case made up of upper and lower shellsjoined at their peripheries and provided with upper and lower concentricseries of propelling-su rfaces, of a turbine wheel mounted to rotatewithin said case and provided with upper and lower concentric series ofpropelling-blades cooperating with the propelling-blades of said case,as described, a burner below the apex of said case, and the pump mountedat the axis of said wheel and operating under the rotation -of saidwheel to produce a forced return circulation of the steam-producingmedium.

4. The combination with a case and a Wheel rotatable therein, said caseand wheel having cooperating concentric series of propellingblades, of awater-condensing chamber applied to the upper surface of said case, apump at the axis of said wheel operating to produce a forced returncirculation of the steamproducing lnedium, and means for heating thedownturned apex of said case, to produce a generation of steam,substantially as described.

5. The combination with a case l, 2, having the series ofpropelling-blades l and 2a, of the wheel 10, 1-1 mounted to rotatewithin said case and provided with the series of propelling-blades lOtand 11, the cylinder 9 Secured axially to said wheel and provided withthe cam-pin 25, the stationary spindle 5 extending axially through saidcylinder, the piston 6 mounted to slide without rotation on said spindle5 and provided with the cam-groove 24 cooperating with said pin 25, thespringheld valve 27, controlling one or more passages through saidpiston, and the springpressed valve or head 29 at the lower end of saidcylinder, said parts operatingsubstantially as described.

6. The combination with a rotary turbine wheel and a case for the same,said parts having cooperating concentric series of propelling-blades, ofa water-containing coolingchamber secured against the topl of said caseand provided with circulating connections opening one near the centraland the other near the peripheral portion thereof, and radial bladesconnected for movement with said turbine wheel and acting on thecooling-water within said chamber to produce a forced circulationthereof by centrifugal force.

7 A rotary motor or turbine, comprising a pair of bodies havingcooperating propellingblades, the one rotatable with respect to theother, and circulating connections for the motive fluid, involving apump operated by the rotary member, which circulating connections arearranged to deliver the motive fluid over and over to a commonstartingpoint, substantially as described.

8. A rotary motor or turbine, comprising a relatively --fixed bodyhaving propellingblades, a relatively movable body having cooperatingpropelling-blades, and circulating connections for the motive fluid,involving a pump operated by the rotary member, which circulatingconnections are arranged to deliver the said fluid over and over to acommon starting-point, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL BECK.

Witnesses M. M. MCC'RORY, F. D. MERCHANT.

IOO

